TWO YEARS LATER
Angelica Evans: Age 10
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Angelica’s POV:
I laid on my huge bed, hugging my large white unicorn. Sometimes, I miss my teddy bear. I wonder if Mister Peanut is okay. A small smile crosses my lips as I remember my blue eyes prince.
He is probably taking good care of Mister Peanut.
Closing my eyes, I snuggled deeper into my bed and started dreaming about my prince.
“How can you do this to me?!” Mommy yelled.
It must be another fight.
Mommy and daddy have been fighting a lot when I turned nine. They pretend everything is okay in front of me, but it’s hard not to notice how daddy always comes back late at night. How mommy sits outside, curling herself up into a ball and crying her heart out.
Pushing off the fluffy blanket, I jumped off my bed. Carefully, I open the door and scan my surroundings. I walked down the massive hallways, looking at each photo I passed.
Mommy and daddy look so happy back then. As I pass more photos, I realize how, in each shot, the smiles were more and more forced.
I miss Mister Peanut.
Getting closer to the screams, I started tip-toeing. I crouched down and placed my head between the rails, looking at my parents and a blonde lady.
“You told me you wouldn’t do it again!” Mommy screamed.
Daddy stood there with his arms crossed. “You know you’re lucky, right?”
“Lucky?”
“You were nothing but a poor waitress until I married you. Why can’t you be like my friend’s wives? Spend my money and go shopping. Go on exotic trips. I’m not asking for much. All you had to do is turn a blind eye in my s****l affairs. I didn’t ask you to cook dinner at night. I didn’t ask you to wait for me until I finish work. I didn’t-”
Mommy hit daddy in the face while water dripped off her cheeks like a stream of a river.
Whenever I see mommy cry, my chest and tummy don’t feel right. It’s like when I got sick, but a lot worse.
“I forgave you once a year ago, don’t think I will forgive you again,” she spat out and walked away.
Daddy grabbed mommy’s wrist and pulled her back,” Sweetheart, you are making your life’s biggest mistake.”
“No, the biggest mistake in my life is marrying you,” she shouted and pulled her wrist away. She ran upstairs but stopped when she saw me.
I stood up and held her hand, walking her to my bedroom. Looking back, daddy walked out the front door holding the blonde lady’s hand.
I remember a kid in class talking about this once.
Daddy walked out on us.
When mommy and I got back into my room, I took her to my bed and pulled the blanket over her. After I finished, I crawled inside, hugging her.
“Sorry, pumpkin, you weren’t supposed to see that,” she whispered.
I held her shirt tighter, “Daddy did something bad, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did,” she whimpered.
“Mommy, are you not happy with daddy?” I asked.
Her eyes look red, “Sorry, pumpkin, but mommy isn’t happy.”
I laid there, while mommy held me tightly and continued crying. I listened to her cries echoing throughout the empty mansion until she fell asleep.
When I woke up, mommy was gone.
“Divorce? You want a f*****g divorce?!” I heard daddy scream.
I jumped out of bed and ran towards the spiral stairs. When I reached the end, I blew out a deep breath and watched them.
Mommy was sitting on a chair with her arms crossed. Her eyes look even redder during the daytime, “Yes, I want a divorce.”
Daddy’s face is red too. “You are making a huge mistake.”
Mommy chuckles, “You know what? I made two mistakes in my life. One, marrying you. Two, staying with you even when I found out you had been cheating on me!”
Daddy laughed, “And you know what my mistake was? Knocking you up with that child and asking you to marry me! I don’t even want her!”
When mommy sees me, she rushes towards me. Her hands covered my ears, but it was much too late.
Daddy frowned and bit his lip as soon as his eyes met mine, but he quickly walked out the front door and slammed it shut.
He walked out on us again.
“Mommy, am I a mistake?” I asked.
Mommy strokes my hair, “Oh, no pumpkin, never think that. You are a gift.”
“Mommy, are you leaving?” I asked.
“Pumpk-”
I desperately clung onto her shirt. “You aren’t going to leave me here with daddy, right?” I’m scared.
“A-Are you sayin-”
“I want to go with mommy. Daddy bad. I don’t want to stay here,” I beg, tugging on her already wrinkled shirt.
She went on her knees, and water continued falling from her eyes. “Listen, Angelica, mommy and daddy are not going to be together. This is not like a break we had like last time; this is forever. If you leave with mommy, it means no more yummy food, no more warm blanky, no more mountains of stuffed animals, no more pretty clothes, nothing. Are you sure you want to go with mommy?”
I nodded, “Yes, mommy.”
Mommy smile. It’s a smile I haven’t seen in a long time. She held me close to her chest, “Thank you, pumpkin. Really. Thank you.” After we had breakfast, I helped mommy pack up everything. Not too long after grandma showed up.
“You are divorcing my son?!” Grandma just hit mommy in the face. I glanced at daddy, who just sat there, looking at the table.
My hands were shaking, and it started getting harder to breathe.
“Do you know how lucky you are to marry my son? Without him, you are just a waitress!” grandma screamed.
“I had enough! Why should I stay with a cheater!” mommy shouted.
The maids and butlers stood in the back, eyes on the hard tile floor.
Grandma laughs, in a very scary way, “I knew it! You are after my son for his money, aren’t you! Using your pretty face to get his fortune!”
I sat there, holding the side of my dark blue dress tighter.
Grandma is very mean to mommy.
Looking at daddy, he continues to sit there. When his eyes met mine, he quickly looked away.
Looking at mommy, her eyes swelled red, cheeks starting to get red too.
Mommy chuckled, “I don’t need a single penny from you all. I want a divorce, and the only thing I am taking with me is Angelica.”
“Like I will believe that,” daddy said bitterly.
Mommy slammed a piece of paper on the table. “I signed it already,” she said. Mommy held her hand out to me.
“Angelica, honey, you aren’t going to go, right?” grandma asked.
I looked at grandma then mommy than daddy and then back at grandma. “Yes, I am leaving with mommy.”
I looked back at daddy, “I am an unwanted child here after all,” I said coldly and held mommy’s hand. Daddy folds his hand together and leans forward, opening his mouth a few times, but he didn’t say anything.
“Come on, pumpkin. Let’s go,” Mommy said softly and grabbed the small bag.
She walked us towards the front door, but I stopped and looked back. “Bye, Dextor. Bye, Amanda,” I said without any emotions. I can see a flash of pain on their face, but quickly turned and left with mommy. “Where are we going, mommy?” I asked in the back seat of the taxi.
Mommy wrapped her arms around me. It’s warm. “We are going to grandma’s and grandpa’s house,” she said.
Looking out the window, I saw the big fancy mansion, my old house - no longer home. As we continue moving, we pass the other large estates. Slowly, the houses got smaller and smaller until I saw nothing but dead grass. The sun went to sleep, and the moon took its place.
Mister Peanut, are you okay with Prince Blue Eyes?